The Exchange Students
by Laureen Lycan
Summary: What happens when students at Hogwarts complain about the facilities? Two professors get a couple of decades knocked off of them and enroll at the school while at the same time, attending their own classes. *Chapter 8 up*
1. Unwilling Volunteers

**The Exchange Students**

A/N:  I don't know exactly where I'm going to go with this, I wrote this chapter as a whim more than anything else.  If you have any suggestions on a title, please e-mail me to let me know.  You have my e-mail address on my biography, if I'm not much mistaken.

Disclaimer:  Everything you see belongs to J.K. Rowlings, except for Sarah Hernandez, who belongs to me.  Norkten is an academy of my own making, as anyone who has read my "A Moonlight Sonata" will know.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Professor McGonagall tapped her wand on the end of the pedestal she was standing on in order to obtain the attention of her fellow professors in the room.  "Now, as you all know, we have received various complaints from the students about," pausing, she picked up a list that was in front of her. 

            Adjusting her glasses, she cleared her throat and read it off.  

            "A.)  The food at meals," she blinked and frowned at this.  _Of all the nerve!  Those house elves work so hard preparing all that food… _She continued after composing herself.

            "B.)  The condition of their common rooms."

            "C.)  Not enough activities to participate in."

            "D.) Too much homework."

"And finally," she paused here, scanning the list, but there was only one word, name, really, left.

            "…Peeves."

            At this, Professors Sprout, Flitwick, Lupin, and Dumbledore smiled.  They weren't sure of the other items on the list, but they, too, had had, or were aware of, little mishaps with the poltergeist.

            McGonagall placed the list down and leaned over the pedestal toward the other professors.  

            "Now," she said as-a-matter-of-factly, peering at all of them over her glasses, quite similar to the way she gazed at her students after a particularly important lecture.

            "A few complaints of these matters do not raise concern, as many students are, ah…rather demanding of their environment."  Several of the other professors nodded in agreement.  

            "But the fact is," she continued, "We have received countless complaints about the facilities!"  

            At this, she bent down and poured a sizeable amount of letters on the ground to show her co-workers just exactly how many complaints they had received. 

            Scanning the room, she continued, "Unfortunately, we cannot rely on students alone to gather exactly how bad the facilities have become, and I cannot say that us, as professors, can give a credible opinion on what it is like for them," she pointed her wand down at the pile, the letters returning back into the bag.

            At this, Professor Snape spoke up.  

            "So what exactly are you proposing, Minerva?" he smirked, his voice reeking with sarcasm.  

            "One of us enroll as a student and see it from their point of view?"

            The other professors looked from Snape to McGonagall in curiosity rather than skepticism and found to their surprise, that she was beaming at Snape.

            "Why, Severus!  That's exactly what I was proposing!" 

            She gazed around at the rest of the administration and her jubilant faded to a look of annoyance at the reactions she perceived.  

            Snape was staring at her sideways, his eyes narrowed in suspicion; Professor Sprout had a look of disbelief on her face; Flitwick was hopping up and down in his seat to get a better look at her; Lupin was watching her, a polite look on his face, though his eyebrows were raised in question.  All in all, her colleagues were stunned at her proposition, all that is, except Dumbledore who simply smiled and twiddled his fingers.  

            "How exactly do you plan to do this, Minerva?" he asked pleasantly. 

            A bit more confident seeing that the headmaster seemed to be accepting of her proposal, she explained.  

            "It's really quite simple, actually.  All we do is take a Reversing-Aging potion, which," she paused to look over at Snape.  "I assume, our….delightful…. Potions master will concoct for us…" she looked away, clearing her throat at the particularly malicious look he gave her, "And then use a time turner so we can both attend classes and teach them.  I have taken the liberty of requesting permission from the ministry for this already, and they have accepted."  

            Some of her colleagues nodded slowly at this idea, though Professor Sprout voiced her question.  "Which one of us, exactly, is going to participate in this?"

            "Two actually," replied the Transfiguration professor, "And, I was hoping," at this, she sent a rare, warm, and pleasant smile around the room, "That two amiable… daring… and charming professors would volunteer for this." 

            Her expression soon fell as the room was devoid of any hand raising or remarks such as, "I'll volunteer."

            Her eyes narrowed dangerously and she muttered, "I see…"

            Her gaze swept around the room and she randomly selected two professors.

            "Severus, Remus, both of you will take this assignment."

            Their mouths dropped open, astonished that she would have the nerve to just put them on the spot like that. 

In answer to their protests, Dumbledore quietly spoke out, "Twenty galleon bonus on your next salary for the extra work."

            They both silenced after this and Professor McGonagall beamed at Dumbledore.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            After the meeting, both Snape and Lupin were having second thoughts about their agreement.  They both walked in silence toward the professors' chamber, each with his own thoughts upon the matter.

            As they climbed up a staircase, Remus glanced over at Severus and remarked, "Do you think it odd, that we'll each be in students in our own classes?"

            Snape looked at Remus, an eyebrow raised at his inquiry.  

            "Now that you mention it, I suppose so…  That was not one of my immediate thoughts on the subject."

            Remus shrugged good-naturedly and glanced up at the winding staircase above him of which he was escalating. 

            "What about your name?" he asked again, as they walked down the hallway.

            "Name..?" responded Severus, looking at his colleague questioningly.    

            "Yes, well, we can't very well go around calling ourselves Remus Lupin and Severus Snape!" he exclaimed, as if it where the most obvious thing in the world.

            "I was thinking of Phillip Lycan."

            Severus raised his eyebrows but did not let out a chuckle of amusement in recognition of the last name.  

            "I really don't know, Lupin…  The thought hadn't crossed my mind."

            Remus looked at him carefully for a moment as they turned a corridor.

            "What about Charles Brewer?"

            At this, Snape stopped in his tracks and stared at Remus. 

            Sighing, he rubbed his eyes. 

            "If it will please, you, Remus, fine." He shook his head as he turned and entered his chambers.  Remus smiled to himself, knowing the discomfort he caused to the disagreeable potions master and went on down the hallway until he reached his own quarters.

            A few minutes later, Snape shook his head and allowed himself a low chuckle as he shut his eyes to go to sleep.  "Charles Brewer and Phillip Lycan…"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            "Don't walk so straight, slow down and slouch a bit more – And for heaven's sake, don't look so surly!!"

            Snape/Charles scowled at the younger image of Remus Lupin.  They were on their way to Transfiguration and were trying to get used to their younger, sixteen year old selves.  They weren't in too good a mood as they had gotten lost trying to find the right staircase until they had found out that Peeves had been switching them around.

 Remus/Phillip had the same pale grey eyes that expressed his warm and sensitive nature.  His hair color had been changed, of course, to help prevent recognition.  Remus now had golden-brown colored hair that occasionally fell over his eyes in strands.  He, of course, was devoid of the tired look he always seemed to be carrying with him, though his eyes still carried not quite age, but something more like wisdom and maturity.  He was a bit on the lean side, though not gangly and was taller than average, though not quite as tall as the Weasley boys had been at that age.

            Severus had the same dark brown, almost black eyes, and a dark brown hair color which was shorter and a little easier to take care of, as he couldn't go around with the greasy hair that was his trademark.  After a lot of hassles and arguments, Snape had finally agreed to wash his hair twice daily to reduce its natural oily look and to comb it frequently between classes.  Remus was there to make sure of this, of course.  He was not quite as tall as Remus, but was a bit more muscular than his companion and a slightly bulkier.

            "Don't forget Re- Err…Phillip," Severus corrected himself.  "We're exchange students from Norkten and we're only staying temporarily until the boys' dormitories have been successfully restored."

            Remus nodded in annoyance, "Yes, yes, I know..  But won't you think the students would be suspicious of this, as we're the only ones from there?  And comb your hair!"

            "For goodness sakes, they're kids...Phillip," he scowled and pulled out a comb, hastily running it through his hair.  "They won't suspect any—ARGGHH!"

            Severus never got to finish his sentence, for at that moment, Peeves had decided to drop two large water balloons on both of them.  

            Giggling like a madman, he blew a raspberry at them, did a somersault and flew away cackling.

            Remus sighed and quickly performed a quick drying charm on himself after much cursing on Severus' part.

            "Now I see why those infernal kids complain about that wretched poltergeist," the young Potions Master spat out, performing another drying charm himself.  

            "We're late," Remus muttered and the two ran down the hallway.

            Hermione and Sarah each looked up as two young men they had never seen before came bursting in, out of breath.

            Hermione had remained more or less the same as she had in her fourth year, though she had, naturally, developed more curves and had found a quick, yet effective charm to straighten her hair.

            Sarah was a Spanish girl who came from the west, the United States was the rumor, despite her heritage.  She had a mild western accent and had brown-coppery eyes and brown hair a few shades darker.  Coming from the south, she had a light tan.  She had been placed in Slytherin, though she had a nice personality and held no prejudices against the other houses, if you didn't count thinking of Hufflepuff as a bit slow.

            "Who are they?" she whispered to Hermione who shrugged and whispered back.

            "I don't know…but they look awfully familiar," she tilted her head.

            "Familiar or not, the one on the right is pretty good-looking," she grinned.

            Sarah was referring to Snape, or rather, Charles Brewer who was looking a bit sour now as he surveyed the class. 

            "Say what you want," Hermione responded quietly.  "I like the other one," she raised a hand to her mouth to cover up what was might have been a giggle.  Remus looked in her direction upon hearing the noise and she quickly stopped.

            Lowering her hand and coughing to save herself, she scolded herself for thinking such things about a boy she had never even met.

            Despite her self-lecture, she couldn't help but think, _Really, though, it's nice to have a fellow female for a friend whom you can talk to  about things like this.  Boys…well, boys are boys, I suppose._

Sarah's attention, however, had moved from Severus and was now turned upon her transfiguration professor whom, rather than looking annoyed, seemed to be fighting a look of amusement.  The corners of her lip were twitching and she picked up her roster and pointed at the empty desk in front of the girls.

            "Phillip Lycan and… Charles Brewer, I presume?" she raised her eyes back to Remus and Severus who each nodded and walked over to the desk and sat down. 

            "Phillip and Charles," muttered Sarah, quietly enough so only Hermione could hear.

            "I wonder which is which," she replied thoughtfully.       

_ _ _  

Remus and Severus' P.O.V.

            Remus leaned over to Severus and muttered, "What do you think they're giggling at…?"

            "I haven't a clue," he mumbled, his gaze on McGonagall as she expertly avoided their gaze and went on, explaining and demonstrating how one would go about determining colors and details of the product after turning an inanimate object into an animal. 

            After narrowing his eyes a little as his heightened senses picked up more hushed whispering, Remus looked down, spotting a quill rolling right in between him and Severus.  

            Glancing up at Severus who glanced down then back up to the transfiguration professor, he bent down and picked it up.  

            He turned around, meeting Hermione Granger's eyes and froze a moment, thinking it odd to be looking at her from this perspective, as a fellow student, and not a professor.

            She smiled and took the quill, mouthing a silent, "Thank you."

            He turned around in time to see Severus' amused expression and looked away, annoyed somewhat by the muffled giggles behind him.

            "Hernandez, Granger!" snapped Professor McGonagall, mispronouncing "Hernandez" so it sounded more like, "Hernahdes".  "Have you anything you would like to share with the class?"  

            They were vaguely aware of them moving their heads quickly in back of them. 

            "Then do be quiet, unless of course, what you were saying is that you would like to have an extra workload of homework this week," she went on, giving the girls one of her famous over-the-lens glares.

            Impressed, Severus raised his eyebrows and muttered, "Not bad..not too bad…"

            "Sev- Brewer!" the professor stammered out.  "I do realize that you and…" she checked her roster again, "Lycan," she raised a hand to her mouth as if to recover herself, though Remus and Severus both knew what she was disguising, "Are new, but the rules apply to you as much as the others."  With that she turned around and the bell rang just then, but not before "Charles" and "Phillip" saw the twinkle of amusement in her eyes.

            "Your homework is to read through chapter twelve and write a fifteen-inch long essay on the importance of visualizing your product before transfiguring it.  To be turned in Friday, no excuses and any writing that I consider to be miniscule will be done over, twice as long."

            Remus and Severus took their time in gathering their belongings and the Remus went on ahead of him to avoid Hermione and Sarah who were looking as if they wanted to tail him. 

            After the students left, Severus took his time walking by McGonagall and muttered, "Not too shabby, Minerva…"  

            She turned to glance at him and if he had not known better, he would have sworn she gave him a small wink.


	2. Obsessive and Hormonal Teenage Stalkers

Obsessing 

_A/N:  Meant to be comic relief…just tell me if you can't see Hermione doing something like this!  Come on, people…use your imaginations!  Even the quiet, intelligent people snap when they fall for a teach—I mean when they fall for someone…*clears her throat and looks around nervously*  Jess, Angela…once more, I give you full permission to say what you will in reviews.  Whatever you want, just don't use names(Real ones) or I will be forced to dispense of the review._

_Disclaimer: Everyone but Sarah Hernandez belongs to J.K. Rowlings.  She (Sarah that is) belongs to me._

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            Remus..err.._Phillip Lycan_ sprinted past people, ignoring their looks and then screams as the creatures chasing him rampaged through the crowd, tossing people mercilessly out of their way and tearing on after him.          

            He had been running like this for the past ten minutes and he didn't know how much longer he could keep it up.  His breath was coming in short gasps, both from the strain of running for his very life and from the sheer terror of it all.  

            He could hear them behind him..their predatory, animal-like noises as they hunted their prey down.  They were getting closer, he knew.  His heightened senses could tell they were becoming excited as they slowly caught up to the object of the chase, which, sadly enough, was him.

            But he couldn't keep running.  In a desperate attempt to confuse the wild monsters, he turned the corner past the bleachers too quickly and stumbled, about to fall..

_NOOOO!!!_ was one of his thoughts as he felt himself falling, falling…  A million other thoughts flew through his mind in that split-second.  He knew it was the end of him, now.  Surely they'd catch up to him, grab him recklessly, and….

But all at once, he felt two rough hands grab him, muffle his cries, and pull him into the bleachers just in time to watch Sarah Hernandez and Hermione Granger stampede on past him.

            "Blast those hormonal teenage girls!" Severus..I mean _Charles…_ hissed into his ear.

            Upon recognizing his companion's voice, Remus stopped struggling and was let go.  Hermione and Sarah, meanwhile, looked around in confusion, each thinking: "Where'd he go?"

Remus slumped down to the ground gasping for breath while Severus went up to one of the cracks on the side of the bleachers and kept a lookout.

            "They're…(pant, pant, gasp) mad…" Remus muttered, standing up.  "Whoever would have thought that two nice, quiet, and mellow girls like Hermione and Sarah could be capable of such incredible stalking abilities!!" he asked himself in wonder, leaning against a pole for support.

            "You're talking," muttered Severus, turning away from his post to be able to look at Remus properly.  

        "Why, somehow, Hernandez (Pronouncing it something like, "Err-nahn-dez") has made it her duty and obligation to sit next to me whenever she can!" He hissed, flailing his arms about.

            "Likewise," Remus mumbled, running a hand through his light brown hair.  "Comb your hair, by the way." Upon Severus' glare, he continued, "Are they gone yet?"  

            "Hmm? Oh, yes…" Severus peeped out the narrow cranny in the wooden planks and nodded once in affirmation.  

            "Yes..I believe they're gone.  Now let's get out and to the bleachers before they come back!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It was the first Quidditch match of the season; Hufflepuff against Ravenclaw, and everyone had gotten there early to watch the opening game.  Everywhere, yellow or blue flags were waving cheerfully, grinning at the players in the field.

            Remus Lupin sat with the Slytherins next to Severus Snape and they both stared to the right of them, each with a forlorn expression on his face.  They were each watching their sixteen year old selves dash down the stairs on the bleachers in an attempt to escape from Sarah Hernandez and Hermione Granger.

            Remus sighed as Hermione spotted them and, to quickly catch up to them, leap straight over the railing down five feet and land a few feet short of them.

            "They seemed like such sweet and innocent girls…" he commented bitterly.

            "I knew Ms. Granger well enough to think such a thing, but I must admit, I'm quite surprised at Ms. Herr-an-des," Snape drawled.

            Remus started replying, but was interrupted as McGonagall suddenly stood in front of them.  "Severus, I need to talk to you about further use of the time-turners.  Meet me in my office after the game.  Remus, this goes for you, too."  Without waiting for them to reply, she briskly turned and marched off.       

            Remus smiled good-naturedly to himself while Snape muttered under his breath and glared after her. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            "What does she take us for?  Single-celled ignoramaces?"  Severus raged as he and Remus descended down a staircase.  

            "I'm sure it's simply a standard procedure, Severus," grinned Remus, though he kept his gaze on the steps to avoid provoking him.

            "That woman is getting increasingly intolerable by the minute!" he went on, ignoring Remus' protests for peace. 

            "The title of 'Deputy Headmistress' does _not_ give her the right to take charge and lord over everyone in the castle!" 

            Remus raised an eyebrow at his companion and shook his head.

            "Oh, don't tell me you don't find the authority she flaunts around everywhere annoying, Lupin!"

            Remus shrugged.  "If I didn't know any better, Severus, I'd say you admired her…"

            At this, our lovable and amiable Potion's Master stopped dead in his tracks and gave Remus a particularly nasty look which made him instantly regret he had ever brough the matter up.            He, however, refused to let this show in his expression.

            Snape leaned over so close, Remus could feel his breath on his face.

            "Admire?" he whispered.  "Nothing, Lupin, could possibly be further from the truth.  And if you are suggesting that I…._fancy_," he spat out the word.  "Her, then I will be forced to administer a particularly foul smelling, as well as tasting, ingredient into your next Wolfsbane potion."

            This dropped Remus' casual look like a bad habit as he was perfectly aware of how badly his monthly potion already reeked.

            "So, Severus," he began hastily, beginning to walk toward his dormitory again and throwing Snape a quick glance.  "Any idea as to how we are going to avoid Ms. Granger and Ms. …" he checked himself before pronouncing "Hernandez" correctly, or at least close enough, taking consideration of the English accent.


	3. Details!

**Details**

A/N: Sorry it took long for this chapter to come up; I promised you all I'd compensate for the last chapter which was, in my opinion, ridiculously short.  Angie, I only hope you have as much fun writing reviews as I do reading them. ^_^ By the way, folks, Nicolette not only leapt over the railing with a backpack on, but with a binder and Biology book in arm, all the while, sporting a purse.  Also, the meanings of the ingredients later in the chapter are not at all fiction.  I happened to take the trouble of looking them up.

_Disclaimer – All of the characters, exempting  Sarah Hernandez, belong to J.K. Rowling._

            "Come on!" growled Sarah, tugging Hermione after her and trying her best to get through the mob of slow-moving students, each taking their time to get to class.  "_He's getting away!!_" she hissed, awarded by a few strange glances in her direction as she went after Charles who was walking rather quickly ahead of the crowd.

            "Sarah…" Hermione murmered, allowing her companion to pull her along.  "People are staring…"

            But she was too busy pushing people aside to pay attention to Hermione. ("Stupid sixth-years," one particularly threatening-looking seventh year yelled.)

            While Sarah mischievously grinned to herself as she engulfed in the pleasure of walking behind the teenage version of our delightful Severus Snape, Hermione quickly took her wrist out of her friend's grasp and looked at her worriedly, taking notice of Sarah's flushed face and glowing smile.

            Examining "Charles", she deduced that he obviously hadn't noticed as he kept on walking toward their next class at his usual quick pace.

            _Ignore them, _Severus thought feverishly as he quicked his pace, careful not to throw a glance backwards.  _Pretend not to acknowledge them and just ignore them…_

Luckily, or unluckily as Hermione was right behind them, Rem- _Phillip_…joined Charles and glanced back curiously at the girls. (Hermione whom suddenly gripped her best friend's shoulder tightly.)

            Resisting an urge to turn around and say hello to the girls simply for their reactions, Remus instead wondered what it would be like to be taught in his own class, which, indeed, was the class they were heading toward.

Hernandez and Granger's P.O.V.

            "Is it me or have they been avoiding us?" mumbled Sarah out of the corner of her mouth.

            "The idea had crossed my mind," the other admitted, glancing across the room curiously to steal a look at "Brewer" and "Lycan", the latter of which, was watching Professor Lupin with intense concentration, as if hanging onto his every word.  Indeed, he was leaning forward and gripping the front of his desk.

            "Please turn your books to page 342 and complete the section review on the succubus.  Any work you fail to complete must be taken for homework."  With that, the DADA professor sat at his desk, peering over at Brewer and Lycan for just a moment.

            Sarah, who had been observing Lupin for a while, suddenly snapped her head in the direction of Lycan and Brewer's table, then jerked her head toward Lupin, then back again.

            Tilting her head, she looked down at her review and dipped her quill into the ink bottle on her desk, poising the quill onto the parchment.

            Scratching the number "1.)" onto the scroll of tinted paper, she looked to the right of her again at Phillip, then back toward her  Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.  But Lupin had moved from his desk and was walking along the back, occasionally stopping to answer questions from his students.  

            Phillip had apparently completed the assignment already and was drumming his fingers quietly upon the desk.  

            Thoughtfully, Sarah flipped her purse open and pulled out a mirror, carefully adjusting it so she had a clear view of Lupin, as he was in the back of the room.

            Remus, who had finished answering students' questions, was leaning against a table in the back, drumming his fingers also.

            They both stopped at the same time and looked around the room, each to the left first, then to the right, stopping, and then resuming drumming their fingers.

            She blinked and rubbed her eyes a moment then looked into the mirror again just in time to see Phillip and Remus both glancing in the direction of her and Hermione's table.

            Snapping the mirror shut hastily, she set it down, then looked back down at the parchment and proceeded to answer question one.

            "The succubus lures its victims in by transforming itself into the form of the person the victim has liked, or loved," she scratched onto it before stopping in mid-sentence.

            She couldn't help it.  

            "Hermione," she whispered silently, almost noiselessly.       

            Hermione looked over at Sarah, who proceeded to write on the parchment, "Look at Professor Lupin and Phillip…"

            As Sarah performed a quick erasure spell, Hermione looked over at Lupin who was absently twirling a midnight blue quill in his hand, then at Phillip who was doing the exact same thing with a hunter green quill in grasp.

            "Well…that's a bit odd," she muttered to Sarah out of the corner of her mouth as she pretended to be doing her work.

            Phillip got up at that moment and walked over to Professor Lupin, slowly handing him the page.

            Remus took it, slowly drawing the page back, the two staring at each other in doing so.

            Finally, after a moment, Professor Lupin smiled meakly and muttered a "Thank you," and "Phillip" nodded once before returning to his desk, apparently shaken. The girls, naturally, had seen this and they both turned back to their sheets of almost blank paper and proceeded to discuss the matter with their heads bent low.

They didn't notice that Remus had silently and stealthily snuck up behind them while they were discussing this.

            "A bit odd?" whispered Sarah, careful to keep her eyes on her parchment. "Take a good, long look at both of them and tell me you don't see a resemblance."

            "Resemblance?  What nonsense, Phillip and Professor Lupin?" scoffed Hermione under her breath.  Nevertheless, Hermione picked up the mirror and adjusted it so it showed the back of the room.

            The image they saw was a table with a short stack of homework papers on it.  

            Panicking, Hermione turned the mirror this way and that, trying to get him into view.   Thinking this odd, she absent-mindedly took a quick look at herself in the mirror and uttered a small squeak as the mirror caught the image of an amused-looking Professor Lupin standing directly behind them, arms crossed.

            As Hermione stared at the image in the mirror dumbly, she heard Sarah turn around.  "Why, hello, Professor," she heard the Slytherin state in what was meant to be a pleasant, but quiet voice so as not to attract her classmates' attention.

At that moment, the bell rang which saved them from embarassment.  

            At least from the class.

            "Ms. Granger, Ms. Hernandez," Lupin smiled, his eyes twinkling with amusement.  "Please remain a few minutes longer."

            The color alternately drained and rushed to the girls' faces as they walked out of Professor Lupin's office and practically ran back to their dormitories.

            Remus laughed quietly to himself, pushing himself gently side to side on the rolly-chair in his office.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

             Phillip yawned then started as two tawny owls flew past him and dropped one off-white packaged envelope into each of his and Charles' bowls of cereal.  

            Scowling, Charles picked his up by the corner, watching the milk drip down into his bowl.

            "Wonder what it is," yawned Phillip as he ripped his open.

            He heard his companion draw a breath back in a hiss so he looked over his shoulder in curiousity at the letter.  

_Mr. Brewer:_

            _You are cordially invited to attend the Halloween Ball at Hogwarts this 31st of October.  Fifth years and above may attend only, unless invited by an older student.  You may invite (1) person per invitation.  Formal dress robes are required unless one is in costume.  Thank you,_

_                                                                                    Professor Dumbledore_

            As they were both allowed to sit at the Slytherin table, due to special arrangements by Professor McGonagall, the boys (who were looking pale and sickly at the moment) fixed their eyes over at the Gryffindor table meeting the all-too-happy looking Hermione Granger and Sarah Hernandez' stares.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            "I'm telling you, this is going to work!  There's no other way…" Sarah stated in a smooth and silky voice.

            "But…" started a rather exasperated Hermione.  "Even if we did happen to get the ingredients for two love potions, I don't see how we could get Charles and Phillip to – "

            "Details, details!" waved Sarah impatiently as she flipped a few pages in a spellbook Hermione assumed she had gotten last Saturday in Hogsmeade. "It's simple, see?" she pointed at the book.  

            "One unicorn hair for purity, honeysuckle for a strong bond of love, lavender for devotion, half a cup of sorrel for affection, one strand of our hair, and lastly…"  She frowned at this.  "Heliotrope for eternal love." She gazed up at Hermione.  "That last one might be a problem…  Heliotrope's not exactly easy to find…"  

            "This is crazy!" exclaimed Hermione impatiently, tapping her foot on the ground.  "We're not going to be able to get our hands on heliotrope!"  

            "So we'll skip an ingredient…Details!" she repeated, slamming the book shut.  "Anyway, it's just a dance, it's not like we're going to marry them!"  At this, she peered over at Hermione over the book.  "You do want to go with Phillip, don't you?"

            She glared at Sarah, then sighed, allowing her frustration to melt away.  "I suppose so…  But the quarter moon's tonight, so we have to get to work.  When are we supposed to administer the potion?"

            She shrugged.  "Any time before the full moon, so we have a while to figured that out.  According to this, it should work in three hours,"  she patted the book almost  affectionately.

            She grinned at Hermione.  "I'm adding a little extra ingredient to it…  I'm telling you, even Professor Snape wouldn't be able to distinguish this from an ordinary cup of herbal tea!" 

            As it turned out, Sarah's "Secret ingredient" was nothing more than three teabags soaked into the potion.  If this would have any effect on the potion itself, they weren't sure and Sarah didn't really care.  (Details!!)

*~*~*~*~*~*~* 

            Charles sat down with Phillip in a corner of the Slytherin table and threw a disgusted glance toward Draco who was faking a crisis over what to wear and who to take to the ball. 

            "Don't look now, but we've got company," muttered Phillip, raising his cup of tea to his mouth.

            "Excuse me," Sarah smiled sweetly, approaching them with a rather panicky-looking Hermione.  "But you've both got the only blueberry muffins they had left, and we were wondering if you'd trade us."  She thrust the trays she had in hand toward them.

            Hermione jumped at this and turned around to stare at Sarah.  _Oh my God…This is her "genius" plan?!  They're never going to buy this…  What was I thinking in letting her do this?!_

To her surprise, Phillip smiled at them and pushed both his and Charles' trays toward them.  "I like strawberry muffins better anyway…"

            Hermione forced a neutral look at this (the corners of her mouth were still twitching) and Sarah picked up the trays. "Thank you," they muttered before sweeping away.

            "What…was that?" Charles inquired of his companion, awarding him with an odd stare.

            He only shrugged and took a bite of his muffin.  "I prefer strawberry," he swallowed.

            Muttering to himself, Charles took a sip of his tea, licked his lips and downed the rest of it.

            Phillip followed suit.

            Wiping his mouth off with a napkin, Charles sighed and leaned back into his chair.

            "I'm so glad that that old bat, McGonagall, _gave us permission…_  to remain in our original forms for the rest of today after next period."

            His colleague nodded in agreement, though looked perturbed at the description of the headmistress.  "I must admit, it's going to be a relief not bothering with the timeturner for a while, even if it's only for today."  

            "Tomorrow's the ball…  I wonder if Hernandez and Granger came over in hopes that we asked them," Charles commented thoughtfully.

            "No worries," Phillip smirked.  "I daresay the chances of that are very….very slim."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            Three periods later, the girls stopped in the hallways each looking a tad bit dissapointed.

            "I heard they got leave for the day, something about a Norkish holiday and whatnot…"  

            "Well, it's all for the best I'm sure," Hermione stated as-a-matter-of-factly, though she couldn't hide an edge of dissapointment in her voice.

            The schedules had been changed for the day since some teachers had to leave in order to make preparations for the ball the next day, and the girls had to part, since Sarah had to go to Potions and Hermione to DADA.  

            "Well, we always have tomorrow, don't we?" Sarah looked down the corridor.  
            "Right..." her friend responded.  "See you tomorrow."  With that, the girls each walked down a different hallway to their next classes.

Hermione's P.O.V.

            Hermione guessed she was about half done with her essay when it happened.  It was very subtle at first…nothing more than a few more glances than natural, but he held something in his eyes…  She had never seen that look in his eyes before.

            _Maybe he's sick…  _She looked him over and he looked away when he saw her looking at him.

            Shrugging, she dipped her quill in her ink bottle and began scratching once more on the yellowed parchment.  

            She paused and chewed the tip of her crimson quill then started when she saw Professor Lupin crouched down by her desk.

            "Need any help?" he muttered, almost…breathlessly, was it?!

            _What's going on?!_

Blinking, she didn't take her eyes on him, but dipped the feathered pen into the ink again.

            "Professor," she whispered low enough so the class wouldn't notice.  "Are you…feeling alright?"

            It took a few moments more of staring before the question registered.

            "Hmm? …Oh…yes, yes, of course," he stood up.

            "Would you…mind ah…staying after a bit?"

            "Er….yes…yes, of course," she responded, looking at him quizzically.

            He smiled at her.  "Thank you…"and returned to his desk.

            "Hmm…" she shrugged and returned to her essay.


	4. Love Potion Gone Bitter

 Love Potion Gone Bitter

_A/N: _ _Sorry for the last chapter, I know it stunk, but I really wanted to get something posted up.  Please disregard my run-on sentences, it's a bad habit I have, I know.  It's likely that some of the characters might be a tad OoC; it was immensely difficult trying to put them in situations that J.K. Rowlings has never even remotely placed them in.  To all of you who think this sick and twisted…  I award a big "N'YAH" to!  This is MY story and though I'm hesitant in  putting the Potion's Master in this predicament…  Well, desperate measures must be taken!  So if you have a problem with it, I suggest you go and read one of those unoriginal, corny, and sappy Harry/Hermione stories!  (No offense to anyone, as I've read several very good ships of those.)_

_Disclaimer:  Everyone but Sarah Hernandez and Gerald the Jolly Giant belong to J.K. Rowlings._

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            "P-Professor Snape…this is highly improper…" stammered a panic-stricken Sarah who retreated backwards toward the door from the approaching Potion's Master.

            "Yes…it is, isn't it…?" Severus replied absently.  "Really, I wish you would at least stay and hear my proposal," he added in a silky voice as soft as the petals on the crimson rose which resided in his outstretched hand.

            While Hermione had been concerned over her DADA professor's health, Sarah had been near tears in trying to figure out what was so wrong with her bewilderment potion that the head of her house had made her stay after class for. 

            "Umm…"  Sarah backed up against the door all the while keeping her eyes on her professor.

            "This is very improper…" she repeated again in a whimper as he advanced upon her.

            "I believe you said that already, my dear," our bewitched Snape stated casually.

            "But..but there's something you have to know," Sarah stated, trying to stall for time in order to grope around for the door knob.

            "What is it, then?"  he asked, coming closer...ever closer as if a shark closing in on his prey…  
            "….You…" she pressed up against the door as far as she could.  "You're just…" she searched faster for the knob as he leaned in towards her.  "…You're just too old for me!" she exclaimed before succeeding in opening the door and falling backwards into the classroom.              

Remaining only long enough to balance herself, Sarah slipped and stumbled back onto her feet before skidding out the dungeon door.  

Professor Snape leaned agains the doorframe, watching after her, smirking to himself.  

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            "Hmm…" wondered Hermione as she hesitated in front of Professor Lupin's door.  

            Due to the short time she had to get to her next class, Hermione had asked Lupin if she could possibly go after school to see him.  He agreed, somewhat resentfully, if you asked her.  ("If  you really have no time," he responded with the smallest of a sigh.) 

            Professor Lupin's office was connected by a door to his usual classroom.  The window was smoky, but had a thin line less than a centimeter wide around the perimeter of the glass which was perfectly clear.

            This is what Hermione was using to spy into the room.

            _Well…it _is _almost time for the full moon…  And everyone knows how he can get a bit strange before it…  He's probably just feeling shaky is all, _she thought.

            She saw nothing unusual in his office; several plants, a coathanger, file cabinet, stacks of paper strewn in various places across the desk…  In fact, the only thing that seemed peculiar was a box on top of his desk that Hermione strongly suspected was housing a boggart for his third or second years.

            She moved a little to the left to see into the right of the room which she scanned thoughtfully.

  She was so preoccupied peering into the room that she jumped when she heard a throat being cleared behind her.  

            She shut her eyes and stood up slowly, recognizing what felt to be a bucket of water thrown at her to actually be force of the adrenaline rushing to her face.  She turned around to see Professor Lupin leaning against the side of the door frame smiling good-naturedly, hands in his robe pockets, one ankle crossed over another.  

            "If you don't mind, Ms. Granger, I'd like to get into my office," he smiled pleasantly managing to worsen the already vivid shade of her face.  He pretended not to notice, however, as he rummaged around his pocket for his keys.

            She stepped aside quickly.  "I…  I'm sorry, I didn't know if you were in, or if you were busy, or –"

            He shook his head and fiddled around with the lock until he heard a click.  At this, he put his keys away then took out his wand, tapped the lock twice, and muttered something inaudible to Hermione's flushed ears.  

"Don't worry about it;  it's perfectly alright," he swung the door open and stood aside, allowing her to walk in.

Now, the potion had been in effect for about four hours now for Remus rather than the one hour it had been for Severus, so naturally, a bit of it had worn off.  

At least, Remus had now regained his head on matters.

Most of it, anyway.        

Hermione, remembering the last time she was in his office, hesitated by the doorway, chewing on her lower lip.

Remus closed the door and walked over to a chair across from his and pulled it out for her, flashing a small grin.  

"Sit down…  I won't bite – Too hard," he added, smiling at his own joke which seemed to relax Hermione as she went ahead and took a seat.  

He held onto the back of her chair perhaps a bit longer than he had to before letting it go and moving across the table to take a seat himself. 

She hadn't noticed until now, but Hermione suddenly realized that the box that had been stationed on the very same table she was presently sitting in was gone.

Puzzling over this, she was going to ask Professor Lupin about the boggart when he gently pushed a candy tray filled with an assortment of various wrapped chocolates toward her in silent courtesy.

She took one politely and muttered a, "Thank you," but didn't eat the sweet; rather, she fiddled around with the wrapper in her hand.

There was a short silence between them during which Professor Lupin folded his hands neatly on the table, grey eyes upon her while Hermione fingered the chocolate nervously.

"Professor…" she started to break the silence.  "What is this about, exactly…?" 

Glancing downwards at his cherrywood table, Professor Lupin remained silent for a moment before unfolding his hands, sitting up straighter in the recliner and fixing Hermione with his warm grey stare.

"It has come to my attention," he began quietly.  "That you and Ms. …Hernandez," he pronounced carefully.  "Have shown a ah…slight interest in our exchange students from Norkten Academy."  The corners of his mouth tugged upwards in what would have been a smile had he not smited it out of courtesy in response to Hermione's cheeks which were beginning to become slightly tinged once again.

Pretending to be oblivious to this, he continued.  

"I was wondering, Hermione –"

_Uh-oh,_ she thought, fighting down the pool of panic that was rising in her stomach.  _He hasn't called me Hermione since after that incident in my third year…  He's becoming personal about this.  I must have done something really wrong…_

"Do you and Ms. Hernandez have escorts to the Halloween Ball?"

Hermione blinked and shook her head slowly, wondering what this was all about.

"No, professor, as a matter of fact we don't," she responded quietly, suddenly feeling very degraded about it.

"As a professor, I'm afraid I can't ask you to consider acompanying Mr. Lycan or Mr. Brewer…" he stated forthcomingly.

"But as a friend," he said slowly in a soft voice.  "I'm asking you to at least consider it," he prounounced everything clearly yet quietly in his soft English accent.

Hermione sat there, contemplating the question just asked by her friend/professor over before leaning forward and causing the professor to sit back in his chair the tiniest bit.

"Remus," she looked at him closely.  "What does it matter to you who me and Sarah go to the ball with?" 

He shrugged.  

"These boys are new and as a professor, I care about their well-being and how they feel about this school.  I doubt they've had a chance to meet many girls in their short time here.."

She stared.

"Remus," she said, fighting back a laugh.  "Those two boys are 1.)  Very intelligent.  2.) Very good-looking.  And 3.)  considered "fresh meat." 

She shook her head and didn't notice Remus' discomfort.  

"They could easily have any girl in the sixth year and below and many in their seventh year."

"I ah…see…" he coughed slightly.  "But then again," he looked at her seriously.  "I'm asking you, not them."

She sat there for a while in silence before smiling and standing up, gathering her purse and her bag.

Remus simply watched Hermione and made no move to stop her as she walked over to the door.

"Of course, Professor," she smiled and opened the door.  

"If Phillip Lycan or Charles Brewer just happen to suddenly take interest in me or Sarah and asks us to the ball, I promise you, we won't decline." 

With that, she left him and closed the door.

Remus was walking past the portrait of the Fat Lady on his way to his own quarters when someone pulled him aside behind the large statue of Gerald, the Jolly Giant.

Phillip shook his head knowingly at him, smiled, and said simply, "You coward."

Remus laughed and each in a synchronized movement, gave each other a very child-like high-five.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            Since the next day was the day of the Halloween Ball, the headmaster had allowed a trip to Hogsmeade so all the students could buy some last-minute materials for the approaching night.

Sarah had stayed behind in the Slytherin common room since she hadn't seen Charles all day and therefore, hadn't been asked, and had planned on staying locked in her dormitory the entire night of the Ball.  

She was the only one in the common room that night; all the underclassmen were out somewhere, it seemed, so she lay sprawled on back upon a grey couch which shone silver in the dancing fire in front of her, hands folded over her stomach, one leg down upon the cushion, the other raised up slightly in a sort of "A" position.  

She stared upwards at the Silver "S" curled around a green serpent upon the otherwise black ceiling.  The chairs and couches were all silver, the carpet was a dark, nearly black, green, and the tables were made of a dark oaken color.

            She had temporarily forgotten about the incident in Potions and was simply losing herself in thought, staring up at the "S" as she often did whenever she got a chance.  Sure, she enjoyed Hermione's company, but sometimes, the Gryffindor was more a bundle of talk and energy (not to mention nerves) than the Slytherin could handle, and she needed time by herself once in a while.  

            She sighed softly, a strand of hair falling across her face as she did so.

            She raised a hand to brush it out of her face, but stopped and lowered it quickly as she heard a small swish of robes, and the "click, click" of shoes upon the piece of wooden floor in front of the couch.

            She turned her head just in time to meet the dark, enigmatic eyes of the boy who had always captured her fancy and wonder.

            Charles was kneeling down so that he was eye-level with her, a small confident smirk on his pale face amongst the rest of his dark features.  

            He brushed away the strand of hair from her face, and brandished a deep red rose from his pocket, kissed the petals softly, and held it out to her slightly.

"You'd be doing me a great honor if you agreed to accompany me tomorrow to the Halloween Ball, Ms. Hernandez," he spoke quietly, almost in a whisper and breaking the silence of the common room.

He was on one knee, positioned so that the light from the flames flickered across his face, in his eyes.  He was looking at her steadily and she right back at him, then at the rose in his oustretched hand.

She was quiet a moment, the silence only interrupted by the crackle of the fire, then nodded slowly, gently taking the rose from his hand.

A slow smile spread across the boy's face and he took her free hand lightly, kissed it, then stood up and swept off without another word.

_A/N_: _I thank all my reviewers!  LilyAyl, yes, I'm sure my characters were somewhat OoC, as I have mentioned before, and I apologize.  Angie, what do you mean I'm "fulfilling Nicolette's dreams"…?  I haven't the vaguest conception of what you're talking about!  **slides a certain photograph out of sight with her shoe**  _


	5. Sneaky Incidences

Sneaky Incidences

            _A/N:  I'm SO sorry for taking this long to post this chapter up.  Excuses are cheap, but school (especially English) has been very draining lately.  (It was Mrs. Vargas' fault, Angela!  The Children's book was absolutely grueling work!)  I give no promises to when this, or any other of my stories are going to be updated, but I ask you to at least to try to enjoy this.  _

`

The Halloween Ball was held, as everyone expected in the Great Hall, the ceiling portraying the night's clear sky and bright, shining stars.  Warm golden fairy lights adorned the Hall in every direction and, besides the star and moonlight coming in from above, they were one of the few sources that lit up the room.

        Bright, lit, pumpkin heads enchanted to float and spin by the perimeter of the walls were some of the decor.  There was a stage by the wall, magically placed there by the professors, the students expected, and all in all, the hall looked simply splendid.  Couples dressed in either costume or robe entered, and sat themselves down at the tables along the walls of the Great Hall.  Ron Weasley entered, Lavendar Brown in arm, wearing navy blue dress robes, bringing out the blue out of his otherwise pale grey eyes.  Harry entered soon behind in hunter green robes, Parvati Patil following next to him.  The boys looked toward the other as they all sat down at a table lit by one solitary pumpkin floating overhead, each with the same question in his eyes:  _Where's Hermione?_

        _Where's Phillip?!_ Hermione wondered frantically, her hair in a bun save for one strand of hair she had curled and let hang on the side of her face.  She was dressed in a silvery – blue dress that hung down to her ankles, nearly covering her silver shoes which were in the process of wearing a path in the carpet of the Gryffindor Common room.  The sleeves were narrow tanks that fell on her shoulders, and the dress flowed down, hugging her slim figure.  She had gone dressed as a muggle.

       She was the only one left in the Gryffindor Common room; the location she and Phillip had agreed to meet.

        She resisted the urge to chew her bottom lip, as she had let Parvati and Lavendar give her a make-over.  But that was half an hour ago, and she had been waiting for fifteen minutes for her partner.  Frantic, she recalled the night before to make sure she really was supposed to be meeting him in the common room.

Phillip's Point of View on the Night Before 

            "Do I really want to do this?" he wondered to himself for about the hundredth time as he set a box – the same box he had kept waiting for him on his desk – down on Hermione's bed.  The same box he had quickly magicked with a hiding spell upon finding Hermione looking in through his office window.             

_            The girls had all been at Hogsmeade, taking advantage of the trip Dumbledore had specialized for "Ball Shopping," as the girls fondly named it._

_            Naturally, he had snuck both himself and the box into the room while they were all away._

_            It was the perfect plan – flawless._

_            But of course, things had a way of messing themselves up whenever the opportunity arose._

_            He snapped his head away from the box, hearing someone coming up on the stairs.  Swallowing a gasp, he looked around frantically before diving and sliding under Parvati Patil's bed.  _

_            He peeked out from underneath the bedspread and saw a pair of familiar-looking white sneakers heading toward the bed on the right.  The one he had set the box down on.  _

_            He scuffled as silently as he could to position himself so he could see her, and tossed something soft and black out of his line of vision._

_            Realizing what it was after he tossed it aside, he was sure he turned several shades of crimson._

_            He smiled faintly to himself as he heard a gasp and held his breath upon hearing a flutter of paper.  She had opened the box._

_            He heard a small crinkling noise, as if someone had gripped a piece of paper before proceeding to read it again._

_            He saw the sneakers pace around the room then gasped in horror as the all-too-familiar sheet of paper fell and slid under a bed – Parvati Patil's bed.  His bed.  _

_            Panicking, he proceeded to grasp at the wooden planks the bed was upon and project himself across the polished floor, slowing down as he reached Lavendar's bed, the pushing himself further._

_            He slid all the way to the other side of Lavendar's bed, safely from Hermione's sight, and peeked over slightly, catching sight of Hermione's bent figure as she searched for the piece of paper under the bed._

_            He stood up quickly, and in several long strides, crossed the threshold of the door and was about to congratulate himself on a job well done when he ran right into Sarah Hernandez coming up the Gryffindor Common room. _

Hermione's Point of View on the Night Before

            She stood up from the maroon couch in the common room and sighed, looking around, and of course, seeing no one around.  The upperclassmen were all out in Hogsmeade, and the younger kids were all out for the night.

_            She, of course, had stayed behind.  Sarah was shut away in the Slytherin Common room and, though she naturally knew the password and location of it, she didn't want to risk the chance of getting caught by one of the Slytherins._

_            Having nothing else to do, she climbed the stairs up to the sixth grade girls' dormitory and walked in, shutting the door after her._

_            Sighing to herself, she began to ponder how she and Sarah would spend the next night when she stopped upon reaching her bed, spotting a familiar-looking box on it._

"Strange,"_ she thought to herself as she traced a finger around the edge of the box.  _"I could have sworn I've seen this before…"

_            She chewed her lower lip, reading her named neatly  scripted across the diagnal of the box.  She had read about curses that could be sent by mail, and ever since her fourth year, she had been wary of anything sent to her by an anonymous person.  _

_            At least, she assumed the sender was anonymous, as the box read no other name on it._

_            After a moment of contemplating, she shrugged and decided that whatever it was, it couldn't possibly be anything worse than a letter full of undiluted bubertuber pus, so she opened it.  _

_            Suddenly, what seemed to be a shower of glitter and spray erupted from the box as if a waterfall had sprouted from it.   When Hermione lowered her arms, she gasped._

_            All around the room, especially on and around her bed, garlands and garlands of all sorts of flowers from vibrant violets to richly-colored roses adorned everything.  What seemed to be tiny lightbulbs lit up the center of the flowers, but upon closer inspection, Hermione realized that they were actually tiny, miniscule fairies that illuminated the room, casting a warm, romantic glow around the room._

_            Breathless, with a trembling hand, she picked up a letter by a parcel she did not recall seeing before that rested where the box had once been located._

_            Scanning the note once quickly, she gasped (yet again) at the signature and let the paper drop from her grasp and flutter down to the ground._

_            Bending down, she reached under the bed and made a "Tuh!" noise before tossing aside one of Parvati's black  undergarments in order to reach her note._

_            Upon finding it, she stood up and read it over:_

Dearest Hermione,

            Though I realize we have never really spoken to each other, I have admired you from afar and would be elated if you would do me the honor of allowing me to escort you to tomorrow night's ball.  Please meet me tomorrow night in the Gryffindor Common room at 7:00 p.m.

                                                                                                Sincerely,

                                                                                                   Phillip B. Lycan

P.S. Regarding on how I gave you such short-notice, I have taken the duty of providing a dress for tomorrow night.  I flatter myself that I was able to provide the right size for you. 

            Blinking, she set the note down on the bed and started to open the package when she heard a small cry that sounded suspiciously like…             "Sarah!" he hissed, panicking and looking around wildly after crashing into his crush's best friend.             "Phillip!" she hissed right back.  "What are you doing here?"             Fighting the impulse to suddenly remove ten points from Slytherin for her being there, he glanced back hurriedly and replied, "I'd say the exact same to you!" 

            _Now, while Sarah had developed a strong attraction for this guy's best friend, she had never really cared much for the object of Hermione's affection.  Now, as she watched this boy in front of her practically lecture her on breaking the rules, she wasn't entirely sure she liked him all that much. _

_            She looked at Phillip in annoyance and sighed, finally explaining herself._

_            "I'm here to talk to Hermione."  She raised an eyebrow at him, "Is it a crime to talk to one's best friend?"_

_            He froze and finally allowed a relaxed smile to melt through his agitated and panicky expression._

_            "No, of course not."_

_            He heard a  noise and glanced back over his shoulder._

_            "Please excuse me," he said hurriedly, his glance kept down, and before she could reply, he rushed past her and down the steps to the Gryffindor Common room, then turned in the direction toward the boys' dormitories._

_            Feeling a bit dazed, she turned away from the dashing figure of Phillip Lycan and looked back toward Hermione's dormitory, trying to figure out what she was there for in the first place._

_            When Hermione came out, a broad smile on her face, she suddenly remembered._

_            "I'm going to the ball!!" both of them screamed in sync and proceeded to hop up and down, rambling on about who, how, and when they were asked._

Current Time 

            "You asked WHO to the ball?!" our delightful, youthful, Severus Snape inquired of a teenage Defense Against the Dark Arts professor as he watched his colleague straighten the tie on his muggle-style tuxedo.

            "Hermione Granger," he replied lightly, fixing a strand of hair in front of the mirror.

            Turning, he smiled at Charles. 

            "As I recall, it seems as if you asked that charming Slytherin permission to escort her to tonight," he remarked pleasantly.

            Widening his eyes, he sputtered, "Well that's…that's a different matter altogether!"  He glanced into the mirror, fixing the clasp on his robe.

            Phillip laughed and shook his head.

            "I'm late, Severus," he said quietly.

            He gave him a meaningful look.

            "I'll see you tonight at the table," was the last thing he said before sweeping off toward the Gryffindor Tower leaving a disgruntled potion's master to fix himself up and do whatever else it was that guys did before a dance.

            __

  


	6. The Halloween Ball

Strange Events at the Halloween Ball

A/N:  This story may imply some admiration on Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall's part beginning in this chapter.  Though McGonagall was Snape's former teacher, wizards live a lot longer than us meager and old-fashioned Muggles, and I have reason to believe that their aging process is much slower than ours.  Therefore, considering the circumstances, the age difference between the two professors  is none too great to be considered scandelous.  **Coughs**…Not that several people I know would care for my explanation…**throws an accusing glare at her Bio-buddy** 

Ron and Harry sat alongside each other, Parvati and Lavendar on either side.

            They were both staring at the two males sitting next to Hermione and her best friend.

            They had never really talked to these two young men – they had seemed just fine conversing with each other.  Not that they hadn't known that Sarah and Hermione were after them; they just had never thought it was serious.

            Now, considering they were all sharing a table with teach other, Harry leaned forward towards the one sitting next to Hermione and gave him a friendly smile.

            "So," he started, surprising the young man at  his suddenly attempt at conversation.

            "Where did you say you came from again?"

            Phillip gave him a  feeble smile in return and glanced at his friend across the table nervously.

            "Ah…Norkten," he said, avoiding his companion's gaze.           

            "The academy up north?" Harry asked him curiously.

            Phillip only nodded.

            "Oh…" 

            There was an awkward silence which was, mercifully, broken by the Headmaster rapping a spoon against a glass in call for attention. 

            As Dumbledore was engaging in his customary, before-ball-speech, Remus and Severus were busily arguing in hushed whispers. 

            "Why didn't you tell me you asked her?!" the ever-so amiable and understanding potion's master demanded of the DADA professor. 

            Remus narrowed his eyes, but nevertheless kept his temper.

            "Personally, Severus, I believed it was none of your concern."

            "That," he sneered.  "Is something I shall decide for myself."

            Remus glanced over towards the table at whom he fondly called, "The New-Age Marauders," and suddenly noticed how comfortably Charles was conversing with his student.

            He looked back at Severus, a smug, yet polite smile upon his tired-seeming face.

            "You seem to be getting very comfortable with that Slytherin," he said slowly.

            Severus Snape narrowed his eyes dangerously and was about to retort when, at the Headmaster's command, a band of skeletons began playing a quick, upbeat tune.

            The potion's professor looked over at the skeletons momentarily and was about to return his attention back to Lupin when Minerva McGonagall (who conveniently happened to be sitting next to him) spoke.

            "It's a very nice song, isn't it, Severus…?" she said off-handedly in response to one of the skeleton's sudden shrieks.

            "Er…"he raised an inquiriing eyebrow at the Gryffindor Head of  House before nodding awkwardly.

            "Yes…yes, of course."

            He then turned back to Remus when she spoke again.

            "You know, I dont' know when the last time I danced was."  She was looking directly, almost threateningly, at him which made him, despite his efforts, to edge just the tiniest bit away from the woman.

            Minerva, of course, was not to be discouraged so easily.  

            Leaning forward, she gaved the shocked and very much wide-eyed professor a piercing stare.

            "When was the last time _you_ danced, Severus?" 

            Torn between annoyance and surprise, Severus sputtered, "I…I don't really remember, Minerva."

            Laughing softly, Remus stood up and walked over to his former professor, flashing her one of of his infamous smiles.  (Being, in a sense, part wolf greatly improved the whiteness of his teeth, and Remus had a charming smile even without the stunning purity of color.)

            Upon receiving the Transfiguration Professor's attention, Remus smirked good-naturedly, gave her a terribly, yet amusing, cliched bow and straighted, holding his hand out to her.  "Would you care to dance, Minerva?"

            Severus muttered to himself as the two swept off to the dance floor and made a mental note to thank the werewolf for getting the infernal woman off his back.

            Rocking back and forth on his chair, he looked around the staff table and realized with a shock that most of the professors were out dancing with their colleagues, and also…  

            He blinked as he realized that Sinistra was sweeping around the dance floor with a Seventh-Year Ravenclaw by the name of Trevor Lindgreen right alongside tiny Professor Flitwick who leading a rather talented Hufflepuff fifth-year who's name escaped Severus at the moment.

            The song ended and the skeletons, who by this time were known as the Clinking Marrows, slacked the pace, but kept it at on the fast side.

            Straightening up a little, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of relief when Remus ended his dance with McGonagall and walked back towards the Staff Table.

            He was about ten feet away when a very pretty Ravenclaw sixth-year by the name of Lynn Alkaiser gently tugged at Remus' foresty-colored robes.

            Severus raised an eyebrow upon realizing what she was requesting of him.

            Grinning to himself, Remus raised his eyes to the Dumbledore who was now dancing with McGonagall as if asking for his consent.

            After a nod and a smile, Professor Lupin gently took the girl's hands and they both joined the rest of the dancers on the floor.

            Severus couldn't help but smirk when he noticed quite a lot of the female students throwing Alkaiser venemous glances of jealousy.

            Turning his eyes back to Lupin to see whethor or not the werewolf noticed, he gasped when he saw the Transfiguration professor coming his way.     

            He swiftly rose to his feet and swept his gaze around the room.

            Spotting Trelawny two seats away, apparently looking bored, he grabbed her hands and pulled the sputtering excuse for a Divination teacher out to the dance floor leaving behind a very irritated-looking Professor McGonagall.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            After everyone had finished their dinner, the plates dissapeared and the students trailed right back to the center of the Great Hall as soon as the Clinking Marrows restarted the band.           

            Charles and Phillip were the only one's left at the table, as Harry and Parvati and Ron and Lavendar were out dancing, and Hermione and Sarah had left for the bathroom.

            Glad for a break from dancing, Charles smirked at Phillip and gestured back toward the Staff Table with his thumb.

            Right in front of Snape who was having Minerva McGonagall, still, trying to provoke a dance invitation was a cluster of girls, obviously waiting for Remus to finish dancing with a seventh-year Hufflepuff.

            "And the winner for Hogwarts' most popular professor is none other than…" he trailed off, smirking at Phillip's embarassed but obviously flattered expression.

            They both turned back to the Staff Table and Phillip had to stifle a laugh upon seeing the very aggravated Potion's Master snap at the female students, causing them each to return to their tables.  The dance ended, and the hufflepuff thanked her professor and returned to her table.

            That was about the same time Sarah and Hermione returned, so Charles and Phillip each rose to their feet and led them to the dance floor.  

            Sarah and her friend exchanged smiles, each obviously pleased that their dates weren't afraid to be seen dancing unlike so many other boys.

            Meanwhile, back at their table, Harry and Ron were each racking their brains trying to think of excuses to explain why they couldn't go dance with Parvati and Lavendar.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

            Though the potion that Remus and Severus had drunk had lost some of it's power, they both stared at the dance floor.  Severus' eyes had narrowed and Remus was fidgeting in his seat uncomfortably.

            "I don't like how close he's dancing with her," Severus hissed finally, drumming his fingers along the Staff Table.

            Remus started agreeing with his zealously protective co-worker but stopped himself and allowed himself a wry smile.

            "Funny…coming from the same boy who's dancing with her," he grinned at him.

            He was awarded by a piercing look from his companion and  Remus returned to the object of his attention who was currently in Phillip Lycan's arms, the ghost of a frown upon his face.

            Severus poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice, ignoring Minerva's weakening attempts at conversation.

            He left his glass of pumpkin juice forsaken at the edge of his plate and continued staring at the girl in Charles Brewer's arms.  

            _Look at how happy she is,_ he thought sourly.  _That look on her face.  The most she ever gives me is a disgusted glance when she thinks I'm not looking._

He sat up straight and took a sip of his pumpkin juice. 

            _Why did I always have to be so harsh on her?  The girl obviously has talent in potion brewing.  Would it really have alerted the Death Eaters that much if I had taken any interest in her?_

A miniscule voice inside him answered the question for him and suddenly, almost in a synchronized movement, both the Potions and DADA professors jumped out of their seats and made their way toward the dance floor. 

Remus' P.O.V.

            What was he doing?  What was his other half doing pressed up against her like that, moving so slowly to the song, Remus wondered.  And what was he…Wait…was this _jealousy_ he was feeling?!  

            But Remus had been putting up with Phillip just sweeping the floor of the Great Hall with Hermione in his arms the whole night and something in him had snapped.  He was vaguely aware of Severus standing up next to him, but he barely took notice and frankly, he didn't care.

            He walked right through a group of girls that had rushed up to him and continued on until he met up with Phillip Lycan and Hermione Granger who were deep in a conversation that Remus wouldn't remember until the following day.  

            He took a breath to steady himself and merely tapped Phillip on the shoulder.  (This was, after all, still the gentleman that Remus Lupin was.)  

            Phillip glanced back and excused himself from Hermione who curiously nodded and returned to the table.  As she sat down next to Parvati, (Who was apparently not on speaking terms with Harry) she threw a curious glance back toward Remus.

            Remus led Phillip over to a lonely corner lit up by a single pumpkin-dwelling fairy and leaned against the back of a chair.

            He cleared his throat and saw Phillip glance back toward Hermione.

            Turning back, he looked up at Remus.  "Problem?"

            Remus crossed one ankle over another and placed his hands in his pockets.  

            He opened his mouth to explain, but shut it suddenly.

            Phillip raised an inquiring eyebrow.  "Yes?"       

            Remus shook himself mentally, "I…don't like how close you were dancing with," he winced, "Ms. Granger."

            Phillip cleared his throat and glanced back at the other couples who were dancing in a much "friendlier" manner that he had.

            "Uh-huh…" he folded his arms.  "Listen, I'm going to go ahead and go back."  He started turning around.  "I  still owe Hermione another dance."

            Remus flinched, "Wait!"

            Phillip grew annoyed and turned around, this apparent on the carefully guarded expression on his face. 

            "What is it?  Really," he finally asked him and when Remus said nothing, he smirked. 

            "You're jealous."

            Remus blinked and would've taken a step back had he not been pressed back against a chair.

            "No I'm not," he said quietly.

            "Yes you are," Phillip crossed his arms.  "You're jealous that you don't get to have her in," he looked himself over "…in your present state."

            At this, Remus pushed himself off the chair.  "Stop it," he hissed.  "Just stop it."

            "Why?  You know it's true." 

            "I….I…" the realization hit him.

            He had fallen for her.  He, a professor, had fallen for a student.  He had let himself fall in love with Hermione Granger.

            Remus stumbled back into the chair.  

            Phillip took a step forward as if to apologize but Remus swept off.  Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw Severus, but he wasn't all too sure, and once again, he didn't really care.

_A/N:  Ouch…internal conflicts can be harsh when they're brought out.  Poor Remus…  Sorry it took so long to get this chapte up!  At least it's lengthier than my last._

            __


	7. The Halloween Ball (Part Two)

**The Halloween Ball (Part Two)**

A/N: Only Sarah Hernandez belongs to me.  I don't own any of the other characters – I just like to mess with their hearts and heads.  Darren Hayes', " Insatiable", doesn't belong to me either.  (No, this isn't a song-fic for all you song-fic haters out there.)

Severus' P.O.V.

            This was mad – he really shouldn't be doing this.    

            _I'm going to hate myself in the morning,_ he thought dryly in a brief flash of self-disgust.

Then again, he usually did for one reason or another, so it really didn't matter.

            He strode over to the dance floor, his plain black robes suddenly alive with the luminous strobe lights.

            The Clinking Marrows had toned the pace down considerably, and began playing, (by request) a muggle song entitled, _Insatiable_ by someone named Darren Hayes…or was it, Warren Daze?  No matter…

            The multi-colored lights slipped away from him as he stepped off the dance floor and into the shadows directly behind the spot where Charles was holding Sarah.

            Sarah started as soon as she saw her Potion's Professor standing behind them.

            "I do request, Mr. Brewer and Ms. 'Erendaz," he narrowed his eyes.    

            "That you two control your hormones and stop pressing against each other like a pair of fornicating animals," he added in that smooth-as-silk voice of his.

            Sarah looked around, observing all the students that were openly groping each other suddenly, it hit her.

            She snapped her attention back to her Head of House. 

            Testing the waters, she raised an eyebrow and asked innocently enough:

            "Excuse me, Professor?"

            "I believe your heard me the first time, young lady," his voice rumbled from somewhere in the back of his throat.

            His voice – it sounded just like…

            She failed to notice that her hands were still entwined with her dance partner's and, indeed, she had failed to notice her partner's presence altogether.

            That is, until he spoke.

            "May I speak to you in private, _professor_?" 

            Sarah blinked and let go of her escort's hands.

            She shot a shocked look at him, then turned her attention back to her professor, wondering just how he was going to respond to her date's less-than-polite tone of voice.

            But to her surprise, Snape swept off and led the way to a fairy-lit corner table just as Remus and Phillip were leaving –

            Remus and Phillip?

            Now, Gryffindors were sorted for their bravery.  Hufflepuffs were known for their hard work.  Intelligence was favored in the house of Rowena Ravenclaw.  And deep within the heart of every Slytherin was a core of cleverness and cunning.  

            Sarah wasn't in Salazar Slytherin's house for nothing.  She knew just what was going on now and she berated herself for not figuring it out sooner.  Why, how could it have taken her so long to figure out the obviousness of the situation? 

            She stood there contemplating the subject until Terry Boot from Ravenclaw and Blaise Zabini from her own house gave her a small nudge to get off the floor.

            Giving Blaise a sheepish smile, she returned to the table where Ron and Harry were sitting by themselves.  

            As she cut her way through the crowd, there was only the naked truth she was thinking about:  Phillip Lycan and Charles' Brewer were Lupin and Snape's……nephews from out of town!!

**Lyrics to Darren  Hayes', _Insatiable_**

  
When moonlight crawls along the street  
Chasing away the summer heat  
Footsteps outside somewhere below  
The world revolves I let it go  
We build our church above this street  
We practice love between these sheets  
The candy sweetness scent of you  
It bathes my skin I'm stained by you  
And all I have to do is hold you  
There's a racing in my heart  
I am barely touching you  
  
Chorus  
  
Turn the lights down low  
Take it off  
Let me show  
My love for you  
Insatiable  
Turn me on  
Never stop  
Wanna taste every drop  
My love for you  
Insatiable  
  
The moonlight plays upon your skin  
A kiss that lingers takes me in  
I fall asleep inside of you  
There are no words  
There's only truth  
Breathe in Breathe out  
There is no sound  
We move together up and down  
We levitate our bodies soar  
Our feet don't even touch the floor  
And nobody knows you like I do  
The world doesn't understand  
But I grow stronger in your hands  
  
Chorus(X2)  
   
  
We never sleep we're always holdin' hands  
Kissin' for hours talkin' makin' plans  
I feel like a better man  
Just being in the same room  
We never sleep there's just so much to do  
Too much to say  
Can't close my eyes when I'm with you   
Insatiable the way I'm loving you   
  
Chorus (X2)  
  
  



	8. Hang Overs of Sorts and New Discoveries

Hang Overs and New Discoveries

_A/N:  I apologize for how short the last chapter was – I can't say this one will make up for it, but hopefully, how quickly I updated will compensate.  I start summer school tomorrow (No, I didn't fail a class, they're dumping so many credits on us, I decided to get ahead) so I can't make any promises as to how soon this or any of my other stories will be updated.  _

Severus woke up the next day with a pounding headache.

            He lifted a slim hand up to touch his temple and winced, retracting his hand at the sudden voltage of pain he felt upon contact.

            "Good-morning, Severus."

            It seemed as if a jolt of electricity went through his every nerve upon recognizing the Headmaster's voice.

            His eyes shot open and he sat up abruptly only to feel a wave of exhaustion pass through him and fall back onto the infirmary bed.

            Severus rolled over onto his side, facing away from the Headmaster.

            "What happened?" he mumbled, shutting his eyes from the migraine.

            "It seems as though you and…Mr. Brewer had an incident yesterday at the ball," Dumbledore began slowly.  Although Snape couldn't see it, he strongly suspected the old wizard held humor in his gaze.

            Images of silver and green lights buzzed through his head and he pushed the unwanted memories away in agitation.       

            "Don't make small talk with me, Albus…what happened?"

            "Well," the old man started.

            "I don't know what happened, exactly, but everyone seemed to see Mr. Brewer lift his wand up at you and –"

            Severus rolled over onto his stomach and groaned into the pillow – he didn't need to hear any more.

**Flashback**

            "You're not going to keep me from her!!  She's mine, you hear me? I don't care what you say!"  

            The boy was standing, his wand poised out.

            Severus had drawn his out as well, more in defense than anything else.

            "What are you going to gain from it?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

            "Eventually, we're going to have to stop participating in this mad game…then what?" 

            Charles gripped his free hand by his side fiercely and Severus raised an eyebrow at the red droplets dripping down onto the floor.

            "I'm not just another one of your students!"  he hissed.  "I knew you would do something like this!  Well, let me tell you, she's the most wonderful girl I've ever met and YOU'RE not going to take her away from me!  Do you hear me?!"

            Severus quivered from barely restrained rage.

            Of course he knew she was wonderful!  Of course he wanted her for himself!   But what his hormone-driven self didn't let himself realize was that yes, this project would finish, "Charles Brewer" would go back to Norkten academy, and Severus would be left with himself for another year, sitting behind his desk and teaching this foreign girl who so happened to catch his interest from the day she stepped into class.

            A second series of blood drops joined Charles' on the floor.

            "Let her go, boy," he whispered.  "Do it tonight!" 

            Charles glowered at him.      

            "No."

                        At this point, Severus' heating temper soared up the thermometer and reached boiling point.

            He lifted his wand at the same time Charles did and then, the world exploded in a flurry of green and silver light.

**End of Flashback**

            Snape winced, pushing away the unwanted memories and gingerly sat up on the stark-white infirmary bed.

            "Severus…" the headmaster started and the potion's master snapped his eyes open at the tone of his voice.

            "I think that maybe this double role is taking a toll on you," he said in concern.  

            Severus smirked, feeling a bit of dejavou.

            "Especially after your role as a double agent –"

            Snape interrupted him.

            "Nonsense, Albus.  I said I'd do the job, and I intend to finish it."

            Dumbledore looked at him and sighed.

            "If you say so, Severus."

            He stood up and gave him a nod.

            "I'll see you at lunch today?"  It was phrased as a question rather than a statement.

            Severus didn't answer and rolled over onto his side, ducking under the covers.

            "Severus," he pressed.  "There's something I really must tell you about yesterday's events and why – "

            "For Merlin's sake, Albus!" he shot up in bed, the covers still on him.

            "Wait until tomorrow!  Please!!" 

            Upon the last word, the headmaster nodded and muttered his understanding.

            "I suppose it can wait."

            _Mad, mad, mad, I've gone stark-raving mad, I have!_

Remus had been pacing his chambers for the past half-hour contemplating his feelings for the young Gryffindor.

            "Unbelievable.  I really am a monster."

            He stopped and slid behind his desk, his trembling fingers pulling open the stopper of a bottle of brandy. 

            He raised the shivering bottle to his lips and took a long drought from it. 

            "Dumbledore allows me to work at the school, and what do I do?  I betray his trust and approach a student.  Perhaps Severus was right about me all along…"

            He set the bottle down and buried his head in his hands.

            "I really am a monster," he repeated to no one in particular.

            At a knock upon the door, Remus muttered a feeble, "Come in."

            He looked up with mild interest and watched his old Transfiguration professor enter the room in horror.

            _Oh, gods!! _He thought feverishly.  _She knows!  She has to!  Why else would she want to see me?_

But surprisingly, the woman's voice was kind, rather than rebuking.

            "Remus," she greeted with a smile. "May I borrow a few minutes of your time?"

            _Better save both of us precious time and tell he now._

"Don't bother, I've decided to resign my position."

            Or at least, that's what he meant to say.  It came out more like, "Donbthr,    ivcided tresinemapsition."

            "Er…I'm sorry, what was that, Remus?"

            He sighed.

            "Nothing…Go on, please, Minerva."

            "Well…you _are_ aware of what occurred yesterday with Severus and his," she looked around the room as if expecting to see an eavesdropping student lurking behind one of the Gryndylow tanks around the room.

            "Teenage self?"

            Remus blinked.  He had heard rumors about it, of course, but he hadn't taken them seriously.  After all, he had left soon after his conflict with "Phillip Lycan" and had missed the end of the ball.

            "Erm…yes, yes, of course."

            She looked at him carefully from behind her lenses. 

            "That wasn't the only confrontation that occurred at the ball, was it?"

            He shut his eyes in resignation and leaned back against his chair.

            _Oh, boy…this is it…They're going to sack me for sure…_

"Am I correct in saying that the cause behind it was Hermione Granger?"

            _Oh, dear gods…_

He hid his face behind a pair of trembling hands. 

            She got the message.

            _What am I going to do now?  Surely no one else will hire me.  A werewolf with pedophilic tendencies…  Not much to put on a résumé, surely…I'm going to spend the rest of my life without a job!  All my years and studying at Hogwarts wasted!  I should've gone on that escapade into the girls' dormitory with James and Sirius after all;  nevermind that they got detention… Well, maybe living a life in the forest won't be _too_ bad…  I suppose the other animals might be friendly enough…then again – _

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was aware that the head of Gryffindor was still talking, though he hadn't been paying much attention until the lines, "they will both be punished, of course," ran through his ears.

            "Er…excuse me, what did you say?"

            She blinked at him.  "Hermione and Sarah…  I said they were going to be punished for that love potion they slipped you and Severus."

            He stared at her rather much like a puppy who was going to be rewarded for marking his owner's most treasured garden plant.

            "…Love potion?"

            "Why, yes."  She let out a laugh.

            "You didn't think you would _really_ be attracted to Hermione Granger any other way, did you?  A student?  You have to give yourself more credit, Remus."  Her voice had gone from amused to stern in 2.4 seconds flat.

            "Ah…no, no, of course not!" he said, his face burning.

            "Yes, well…" she narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously, but soon waved an impatient hand at him.

            "Just wanted to let you know that those two will never slip their fellow students, or," she allowed herself a grim smile.  "Their professors…another love potion again."

            She made a movement as if she was going to rise, but paused and scanned him over with her eyes thoughtfully.

            "Though I wonder what they would say if they had known…"

            Remus flushed again and she shrugged it off.  

            "The potion should wear off by tomorrow, if Albus' calculations are correct.  Good day, Remus."

            She arose and walked out, leaving Remus to digest this new slice of information.


End file.
